Terra
by Jakob
Summary: One man's quest to save his friends.
1. Prologue

A single bead of sweat dropped from my forehead. I wiped away the others waiting to fall and gave out a long, steady sigh.

"Where are you Ven...?" I mumbled.

I had been waiting in the desert for almost an hour now, we should have been half way done with our training by now. Master had instructed us to start training at noon, which was well past now. I began to wonder if Master had arranged this entire thing to test my patience. Perhaps Ven was never coming. However, I knew my master. He was not one to test me in a way such as this.

And so, I began to worry. What if Ven wasn't sure where to meet? What if Ven had been delayed by some terrible reason? I shrugged the thoughts off. I was never one to worry, why start now? Suddenly, my pocket began to vibrate. Startled, I picked out my cell and flipped it open. The caller ID read "Aqua".

"What's up?" I chimed.

"It's Ven," Came the familiar voice. "He's got a cold. The training session is off, you'd better head back here."

My face turned towards the sky in a sigh. "Yea, ok." I mumbled. "See you soon."

I flipped shut my cell and placed it back into my pocket. My feet ached to walk back to the city, but I knew it was better there then out in this barren desert. I started the long walk back. Ven was going to get it from me, cold or not. 


	2. Chapter One

When I finally reached the hill that stood in front of the city of Turan, I had to pause to take in the view. I had been on this hill numerous times, but still had yet to not enjoy the birds eye view. Bright neon lights lined the roofs of the building. Long purple streaks exploded down from their roofs to form the luminescent buildings. Signs of all type could be seen, from bright "STORE" signs to small and dim "Poker" signs. However, these weren't the buildings I took into notice. Hidden in the back of the town was the Academy, a large castle like building with explosions of neon colors. It stood well over the city, towering as if watching all inhabitants. A large neon yellow symbol protruded from one side of the building. The symbol of the Academy. The symbol I wore proudly on my belt. The symbol of what power I would eventually unfold as a Keyblade Master. I took a step towards the city.

While the city of Turan looks amazing from the outside, once you heading inside it turns into a thing of disappointment. Many homeless people line the cracked sidewalks, sitting in complete contrast to the large bright buildings that surround them. Most of them insist that I should give them money, saying that one Munny wouldn't push me any farther from my authority. I ignored them, shrugging them off as they grabbed onto my legs in a desperate attempt to guilt me. The road looked awful friendly in terms of walking during all this, but the speeding cars and blaring horns said otherwise. Only a few more blocks, and I would be home.

I arrived at the Academy promptly an hour from when I had left. The huge towering doors in front of me bared the same symbol as the one on my belt. I removed the symbol from my belt and held it to the door, which unlocked upon it's touch. I stepped inside.

Barren. I couldn't believe it. The inside of the Academy stood dead. Normally, happy apprentices and Masters would greet me with a smile as I walked in, taking a break from their discussions and daily plans. Now there was none of that. Instead, the bodies that should be welcoming me were now lined along the walls, crumpled in death. I went into shock on the inside, but refused to show it on the outside, as it would distract me from seeing what had happened. I broke into a sprint and ran down the corridors, turning at each corner, ignoring the fallen bodies, begging for some kind of movement to cancel out my pounding heart.

"Hello?!" I screamed. "Is anyone still alive?! Hello?!"

No response.

I continued running and shouting until I couldn't withstand it any longer. My legs fell out from under me and I crashed down onto the floor in a broken heap. Tears streamed from my eyes, despite my desperate attempt to hold them back. My home, the only home I had ever known, was now as barren as the desert I had returned from. No life was shown throughout the halls, the life of the Academy had been replaced with death. Thoughts of Ven and Aqua passed through my mind, and suddenly I realized they were still alive. I could think of them, see them clearly in my mind. They were still alive. But where?

I stood up and pulled myself together, forcing my mind to ignore the bodies that lined the halls. My body moved in sync with my mind, strutting back towards the entrance of the Academy. I forced open the doors and raced through the city, towards the desert. And then it hit me. I stopped in the middle of the city, letting the noise continued rushing past me.

Aqua had been whispering on the phone, telling me that Ven had a cold. But Ven was fine when I had first left. Master would have forced Ven to train, cold or not. He never let up on training. I pondered over the possibility that Aqua had been trying to tell me something. Tell me what was happening back at the Academy while I was in the desert. But what was she trying to tell me? A vibrating in my pocket broke me from my thoughts. I retrieved my cell and flipped it open. "New Text" flashed on the screen. I pressed "Open".

"Icelands, Terra. Think next time.  
-Aq"

The realization hit me slowly. The Icelands, the far region past the desert. So apparently since Ven had a "cold", they were in the Icelands. I texted her back.

"Be more descriptive next time. Thanks.  
-Terror"

I continued my course to the desert, planning on how to get to the Icelands. The Icelands were guarded by the Olan, the protectors of the region. They were difficult to get past with a partner apprentice, more so alone. But I knew what I had to do. I had to get to the Icelands. I had to find out what happened at the Academy. 


	3. Chapter Two

A couple of hours had passed since I had left Turan. The lights of the city were long lost behind me, and the darkness of the desert surrounded me. I reached for my cell and flipped it open. 8:32. I knew I couldn't keep going on like this through the night, especially since I was hardly even half-way through the desert. Rest was looking more and more like the logical decision, rather than the rational one. I looked around to see if there was any shelter nearby. A large rock a few feet off had a small opening in it. I started towards it.

"Terra." Came a voice from behind me. I turned to see who it was.

"Master Xehanort!" I said, recognizing his face. "You're alive!"

He smiled. "That I am Terra, I am relieved to see you are doing well also."

I walked closer to him, giving him a small hug. "What are you doing out here?" I asked.

"Looking for anyone from the Academy. As are you, no?" He asked.

I nodded. "I'm looking for Ven and Aqua, actually."

His eyes glowed dark for a moment, then faded. "I see. And where are they?" A grim smile spread across his face.

Suddenly, I didn't trust Master Xehanort at all. Something in his face at that moment caused me to lose all trust in him. As if sensing my distrust, he quickly changed his expression to one of deep concern.

"Are they alright?" He asked, expressing faked emotions.

I nodded, unsure now of how to communicate with him. "Yea...they left me some messages on my cell about where they had escaped to."

"I see." Xehanort responded, quickly. "Give me your cell, Terra."

He held out his hand, causing me to take a step backwards. I was confused. All my life, Master Xehanort had been the closest to what I had as a father, always comforting me when I was lost in my own ways. He had never betrayed me once, and even though he wasn't my Master, I had always wished I had been assigned to him instead. However, right now it felt like the Master Xehanort I had grown with was absent.

"No..." I resisted.

Immediately, Xehanort summoned his keyblade and held it in front of him.

"I don't want to do this Terra, you're the one I wanted to keep alive..." He growled. His eyes returned to the dark color they had flashed before.

I had no choice, I summoned my keyblade. The protection of my friends encouraged me, but I instantly regretted every move I was about to make.

I attacked first. It took all my strength, not to attack him, but to get past the idea that I was attack someone whom I had once loved as a father. Luckily, I miss as he jumped out of the way, hardly moving at all.

"You're weak, Terra." Xehanort snarled.

Before I could recover from my attack, he swiftly appeared behind me and swung his keep blade up into my back. I flew into that air before crashing down onto the ground. I knew this battle was hopeless, but I also knew I couldn't allow Xehanort to reach Ven and Aqua. He was going to kill them, and he knew that I was aware of his plans.

I stood up slowly, using my keyblade as a crutch. He had hardly used any energy against me, and I was already struggling. I had to pull myself together. I charged at him, dragging my keyblade on the ground behind me, preparing to bring it up to meet his face. Instead, my keyblade meet the middle his keyblade, striking a loud tone that deafened me. I straggled backwards, holding my ears, temporarily unable to hear. I could faintly hear the loud scream of "FIRE!" from Xehanort in the ringing of my hears, but was still incapable of reaction. My chest suddenly felt as if it was on fire, and my body was slung backwards like a rag doll. I collapsed on the ground, gripping at my chest. My hearing had returned, and I could hear Xehanort's laughter above me.

"You're much more pathetic than I remember, Terra." He chuckled. "I almost now hold no regret having to kill you."

He held the point of his keyblade above my face, and brought it down with one swift motion. 


	4. Chapter Three

My eyes remained closed for well over a minute while I stayed on the ground, and yet I felt no death overcome me. I worked up the courage to open my eyes, and even then I only opened them a slit. Master Xehanort was gone. Well, gone from above me. Off in the distance I could make out his body shape, fading off into the distance.

"He's...walking away?" I thought, confused.

I reached into my pocket, noticing the loss of weight. He had taken my cell. He now knew where Ven and Aqua were, and he was going to kill them. My mind raced. Using my keyblade again as a crutch, I propped myself up and looked around. It was still night, and I needed rest even more now. But deep down in my heart I knew I couldn't stop. Master Xehanort was heading for the Icelands. My mind hatched a plan, one that would allow me to rest.

I would rest for the night, sleep off the battle, and then head after Xehanort, traveling as fast I could. I knew I wouldn't be able to get past the Olan, but they would be no match for Master Xehanort. If I traveled fast enough, I would be able to reach the Gates of the Icelands only a few hours after Xehanort, and therefore the Olans would still be recovering from his attack. If I was in luck, I would be able to get through the gates with minimal offense. My plan was based heavily on luck, but that was all I had at the moment. I headed for the small cave I had spotted earlier.

Morning came more quickly than I hoped for, but I shrugged off my pains and headed out of the cave at a sprint. My magic helped me glide every once in a while, giving me time to catch my breath. Unfortunately, I couldn't keep the gliding constant and I had to run between uses. I had no clue what time it was, as I used my cell as my watch. By looking at the sun, I could tell it had to be at least 6:00 AM. Master Xehanort would have busted through the gates at a minimum of two hours ago. I had a chance.

The Gates of the Icelands made their way into my view at around 8:00 AM. I paused to take in the view of destruction. The normally tall, gleaming blue gates were now an ugly color of gray. Giant holes in the gates were singed with fire, pieces of the burned gate surrounding them. Four dead Olans were on the ground in front of the gate. They looked like fallen buildings, being almost four time the size of a normal human. Their large clubs were clutched tightly in their cold, now dead, hands.

"Christ..." I muttered under my breath.

I had expected Master Xehanort to break through the gate, but to take down four Olans, that was another thing entirely. Nether the less, I seized the opportunity and walked through one of the holes in the gate. 


	5. Chapter Four

The Icelands were just as they always were, full of ice. Besides the Olans, hardly any animals roamed the area. A few foxes and other smalls animals, but that was about it. I observed my surroundings, noticing a dead Olan off in the distance, and few marks on the ground and walls of. Evidence of Xenahort fighting, I figured. I started feeling sorry for the Olan. They had put so much effort into finding a secluding living space, only to be killed by one small man. I bent down to the Olan and covered his large eyelids. He deserved to rest, I thought.

I stood up, suddenly embellished with the will to fight. Xenahort wasn't going to kill Aqua and Ven, I was sure of that. Or at least, I thought I was. I hoped Aqua and Ven knew what they were getting into. We trained regularly, and I could only hope they could hold him out until I got to them.

There were footprints in the snow, the only normal sized footprints to be seen for miles. I figured they were Xenahorts, although they could have been Aqua or Ven's as well. Either way, I knew they would lead me to where I wanted to go. I followed them quickly, covering over them with footprints of my own.

It had taken me several hours of running until I realized that I was freezing. Upon realization of this, the cold around me seeped through my skin and chilled my insides. Suddenly I started shaking violently as my body struggled with adjusting to the extreme temperature. I frantically scanned the surrounding area, looking for some sort of shelter.

Nothing.

Panic swept over me. What if I was to die here? What would become of Aqua? What would become of Ven? No, I forced the thoughts from my mind. I knew that the only way bad things would happen is if I let them happen. Ideas raced through my head as I attempted to come up with a possible solution.

And then I had it. Something so simple, that I couldn't believe I had neglected it before. I held my hand high above my head and formed a fist.

"Reflect!" I belted.

Instantly a thin, transparent bubble formed around me. I had to act fast, as this shield was only temporary.

"Fire!" I shouted.

I focused all of my attention on the outside of the Reflect spell. I brought the fire close to the bubble, and allowed it to seep down the sides, surrounding me. Once the entire bubble was covered with flames, my plan began to work. My body became warm as the Fire and Reflect spell balanced each other out, created friction for me to enjoy. The snow from under me melted as the spells continued, allowing small pieces of dead grass to pop out from their sleep.

Soon I became weak from holding the spells for a prolonged time, and was forced to release. It didn't matter, however, as I felt more rejuvenated than ever. Warmth surrounded me, giving me energy and strength. I was prepared to save my friends. 


	6. Chapter Five

I worked my way to the top of a small hill I had seen a ways back. I had been traveling for about an hour since I had heated myself, and had done the same thing four times since then. From the top of the hill, I could see a large frozen lake spread out in front of me. Their was a thin layer of snow over the ice, so I couldn't be sure how thick the ice was. I jumped down from the hill and landed next the lake, testing it with my foot. It seemed sturdy enough, and I stepped out onto it. My eyes focused on my feet as I took careful steps on the lake. A loud noise off in the distance diverted my attention, and I snapped up my head to see what it was.

"Terra!" Came a shout.

Two small figures were approaching in the distance. I squinted my eyes to see who they were. It was Aqua and Ven, running towards me from the other side of the lake. Aqua was dragging Ven behind her, as he struggled to balance while running. My heart skipped at the side of them.

"Hey!" I shouted in response.

Nothing was behind them, and I was curious to wonder why they were running. My curiosity was cut short as something nailed me in the back of the head, blurring my vision and sending my sprawling to the ground. I heard the ice crack as I landed.

As my vision recovered from the blow, I could faintly hear a laugh from beside me. It was a familiar laugh, and I regretted knowing who it belonged to. His voice was low and coated with spite.

"Terra, Terra, Terra," Master Xehanort chanted above me, "You shouldn't have come for them. It is a mistake you will soon regret."

I lifted my head from the ice and turned to see Master Xehanort looming over me. A wicked smile covered half of his face and his eyes gleamed with unknown desire. He was holding his keyblade close at his side.

"You see," I heard him continue, "I am seeking something, Terra."

He paused for a moment, tapping his keyblade on my back.

"I am seeking a new apprentice."

My mind pondered over the thought of Xehanort's current apprentice. His apprentice always resisted human contact, giving him a negative reputation among the keyblade bearers. He avoided people at all costs, spending countless hours training magick and combat. I had only seen him a few times, and each time he had seemed so distant from the world around him. No one knew his name, but no one ever asked. I had figured he was killed with everyone else back at the temple.

For some reason, I ignored his statement. At the current time, I could care less about what or what not Xehanort was seeking. Right now I knew I had to prevent him from harming Aqua and Ven. I pushed myself up with my arms, fixating myself in a kneeling positioned. From there I stood up, placing my feet firmly on the ice. Under me, the ice churned and moaned, affected harshly by the crack my body had created previously.

My head pounded. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked at my hand. Blood. There wasn't much, but it was enough to put me in a disoriented state. I looked over at Ven and Aqua. It seemed that they had stopped running towards me once Master Xehanort had appeared. They stood from a distance, watching us. I turned my head back to Xehanort. He held a focused glare at me.

"So then, Terra," He snarled, "Are you willing to fight to the death in order to promote things that you think are valued?"

I nodded and summoned my keyblade to my side. It appeared instantly in a flash of white, finding comfort in the warm of my hand. Xehanort laughed and held his keyblade in front of him. I did the same.

"By the power of my friends," I promised, "I will destroy you." 


End file.
